Visual Arts Programme
The Concourse Installation 1999
Introduction to Concourse Installation Programme 1999
In 1997 the new County Council Head Offices, which involved a major extension to the existing Town Hall in Dun Laoghaire were completed. The architects - McCullough-Mulvin - solution was to distribute the functions of the building around a central concourse space. This eighteen-metre cube consists of a triple height central area surrounded by a cathedral-like ambulatory. The area, which is top-lit, has walls made from oak-finished panels, with full height sliding doors.
The character of the space changes considerably when the doors are open or closed.
The concourse space was designed with exhibitions, public gatherings and performances in mind. However it provides an unconventional exhibition space and therefore presents a challenge to the artist in devising imaginative and innovative approaches to working there. With this in mind the County Council invited five artists to make three new and temporary works for the Concourse in 1999. The brief was simply to respond to the space and this programme resulted in three very different installations:
Nicos Nicolaou and Julie Merriman 'Self Feed' [ Wavin piping, mould formers ]
Mary Kelly & Abigail O'Brien 'How to Butterfly a Leg of Lamb' [ photographic and video sculpture ]
Aisling O'Beirn 'Bureau' [ tables, bentwood chairs, plasterboard, gesso, various found objects and instruments, plants ]
The programme was a particularly exciting one for us. The nature of the building a local government's headquarters, and the public 'traffic' this attracts, as well as the space itself which is architecturally quite pure, presented to the artists a considerable challenge and demanded from each of them much imagination and hard work.
We are grateful to all five of them for their fine work which also helped the development of a space which is able to support new artwork. The public's response throughout was recorded in a comments book. Reactions ranged widely from delight and fulfilment to shock and disgust. The installation programme clearly had an impact and it triggered a wider debate about the relationships between the local authority, the artist and the arts.
